NGFA announces full CEC program

NGFA this week announced the full slate of programming for the upcoming Country Elevator Conference and Trade Show (CEC). CEC, NGFA’s flagship conference for grain merchants, elevator operators, feed manufacturers, processors, and grain industry suppliers, attracts several hundred industry members each year for networking, education, and a supplier trade show. CEC 2023 will be held at the Omni Louisville in downtown Louisville, Ky., from Dec. 3 – 5.

The programming at CEC is designed to prepare, teach, and inspire attendees. Prepare for 2024 with the following general session presentations:

2024 Ag Economy Outlook
Dan Basse, President, AgResource Company
Economist Dan Basse, President of AgResource Company, will open the conference with a presentation on the likely economic challenges and opportunities for the agriculture industry in 2024. 

DC Policy Update 
Sara Wyant, President, AgriPulse Communications Inc.
Sara Wyant, a respected voice in agricultural communications and publisher of AgriPulse newsletter, offers her views on what’s happening in Washington. 

New and Notable Issues for Ag Transportation in 2024
Ken Eriksen, Transportation Consultant
Ken Eriksen will provide a multi-modal overview of US ag transportation as we head into 2024, with a focus on supply chain, transportation and infrastructure issues and developments that may affect how your business makes transportation decisions in 2024.

Attendees will have two opportunities to attend a breakout session, during which they can learn more about the following hot-button industry issues:

Panel | Help Wanted: Foreign Ag Labor Solutions
Kristi Boswell, Agricultural Policy Lawyer, Alston & Bird
Chad Carlson, Senior Vice President of Talent, Central Valley Ag
As producers and companies in the food and ag sector struggle to find workers, many have increasingly turned to recruiting foreign workers through visa programs. Demand for H-2A workers, who can take seasonal jobs in transportation and operations, has been skyrocketing, and participation in smaller visa programs, such as H-2B or J-1 has also increased. Kristi Boswell and Chad Carlson will explain the visa programs process, and highlight the legal, operational, and practical issues businesses must consider before participation. 

The Thirst for Soyoil: Emerging Market Opportunities for 2024
Nate Burke, Senior Vice President Fats, Oils, Greases, FCStone Merchant Services
U.S. agriculture faces another opportunity to fill a space in the energy sector that is rapidly creating a driving thirst for soyoil. This rapidly developing thirst for soyoil is driving expansion of the domestic crush industry to provide feedstock for new generation fuels Renewable Diesel and Sustainable Aviation Fuel, the latter of which also creates fresh demand for corn-based ethanol. U.S. agriculture is well positioned to benefit from this cutting-edge revolution.

Panel | Addressing the Challenges in Obtaining Insurance
Marsh McLennan Agency
Berkley Ag
This past year has shown many insurance challenges for the grain, feed and processing industry related to property insurance and reinsurance. Increased frequency of natural disasters, economic concerns, and poor market performance have all resulted in insurers steadily increasing rates, raising deductibles, and implementing stricter underwriting standards in their efforts to return to profitability. Panelists from Marsh McLennan Agency and Berkley Agribusiness will give attendees a nuanced view of the current insurance marketplace and discuss additional ways to obtain the insurance coverage needed to do business.      

Attendees will be inspired to think outside the box with general session presentations on emerging technologies and new ways of doing business:

El Nino and Beyond: Leveraging USDA Weather Reports to Optimize Your Business
Mark Brusberg, Chief Meteorologist, United States Department of Agriculture
Mark Brusberg, Chief Meteorologist at USDA, will discuss the upcoming El Nino and how it is forecast to impact the 2024 growing year. Learn how USDA uses weather data to create the Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin, the U.S. Drought Monitor, and the monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates to gain a deeper understanding of how these reports can help your business “predict the weather.” 

Is it Scary or a Saving Grace? Generative AI and Real Talk on How it Could Impact Agriculture and Agribusinesses
Jake Joraanstad, CEO & Co-Founder, Bushel 
In December 2022, OpenAI released ChatGPT to the public and the world of artificial intelligence changed overnight. Jake Joraanstad of Bushel will walk attendees through a basic understanding of what generative AI is and the different applications (examples like ChatGPT and others) currently available to the public. Attendees will be encouraged to think strategically about AI applications and use cases in their own businesses, to determine whether the opportunities and challenges of AI are right for them.

NGFA members receive a 20 percent discount on registration. Register before the Oct. 13 early bird deadline and save an additional $50. Register now.